In the installation of wall-to-wall carpet, the conventional practice has been to use a carpet "kicker" having a carpet-engaging head at one end with a plurality of downwardly and forwardly inclined teeth on the bottom. The opposite end of the carpet kicker has a rearwardly-facing pad which the installer strikes with his knee to drive the kicker forward, so as to force the carpet snugly against the adjacent wall. This operation can be damaging to the installer's knee, possible disabling him after a period of time or, if not that, discouraging him from continuing this strenuous and hazardous type of work.